A valley reachable only by sea, ringed by 350 m cliffs and home to the Jersey tiger moth.
Sedir (Cleopatra) Island
The ancient city of Kedrai and the fine-sand beach said to have been brought for Cleopatra. Shoes are not allowed on the sand.
Göcek 12 Islands
The fish rock in Bedri Rahmi Bay, the submerged ruins of Hamam Bay and the shallow turquoise water of Yassıca Islands.
İztuzu & Dalyan
The loggerhead turtle nesting beach, the Dalyan channel and the Kaunos rock tombs.
Bodrum & Karaada
The 'aquarium' of Ada Boğazı, Karaada's healing mud and hot-spring cave, and the Meteor Hole.
Marmaris Bays
Paradise Island, the Phosphorus Cave, Kumlubük and Turunç — the heart of foam-party tours.
Akyaka & Gökova
The Azmak river mouth, English Harbour and the wind-sheltered bays of the Gökova Gulf.
Datça Peninsula
Palamutbükü, Kargı Bay and Domuz Çukuru — quiet, almond-scented routes away from the crowds.
نقاط الانطلاق
من أين تنطلق الجولات في Muğla؟
لكل ميناء مساره وموسمه ومدة جولته الخاصة.
Fethiye
Fethiye Yat Limanı / Karagözler
7-8 saat Nisan – Kasım
Fethiye's classic is the 12 Islands tour: boats weave between the islands of the gulf with 4-5 swim stops. Departures are usually 10:00–11:00 from Karagözler, returning 17:30–18:30. The shallow turquoise channel of Yassıca Islands, the Greek village ruins on Tersane Island and the lighthouse of Kızılada are the signature stops. Lunch is cooked on board and included on most boats.
Ölüdeniz tours leave from Belcekız and follow one of the most dramatic routes on the Mediterranean coast. Butterfly Valley is reachable only by sea; at the Blue Cave boats nose right into the cave mouth. Byzantine church ruins on St Nicholas (Gemiler) Island and Cold Water Bay are further stops. Watching paragliders from the water is the unexpected joy of the day. The lagoon itself is a nature park, so boats pass by rather than enter.
With its 12 islands and wind-sheltered bays, Göcek is considered the starting point of the Blue Cruise. Bedri Rahmi Bay takes its name from the fish the painter carved into the rock. In Hamam Bay you can snorkel over submerged Byzantine bath ruins. Domuz Island, Yassıca and Boynuzbükü are quiet stops away from the crowds. Göcek tours tend to run with smaller groups on boutique boats.
The Dalyan tour is unlike anything else in Türkiye: the boat first threads the reed-lined Dalyan Channel, glides beneath the Lycian rock tombs of ancient Kaunos, then reaches İztuzu Beach. İztuzu is a loggerhead turtle nesting site, so the beach closes after 20:00 and sunbeds are limited to a set section. On the way back there is a stop at the mud baths and sulphur springs.
The classic Bodrum route is Karaada: snorkelling among fish in Ada Boğazı (hence 'the Aquarium'), the 40°C spring water and healing yellow mud in Karaada's cave, then jumping into deep water at the Meteor Hole. Short tours run 6 hours, full-day 8. Departures from Yalıkavak and Gümüşlük cover the western bays; those from the castle cover the eastern islands.
Marmaris tours lean towards fun: an entertainment team, music and a foam party are standard on most boats. The route covers Paradise Island (Aquarium), the Phosphorus Cave, Kumlubük and Turunç. In the Phosphorus Cave the reflected light makes the water appear to glow. For a quieter day, boutique boats run the İçmeler and Kadırga Bay route.
Akyaka tours sail the wind-sheltered waters of the Gökova Gulf. The most popular route is Sedir (Cleopatra) Island: legend says its sand was brought from Egypt, and it is protected today — shoes on the sand and taking sand are both prohibited. English Harbour, Akbük and Çamlı bays are other stops. Akyaka is also known for Azmak river trips through the reeds on crystal-clear fresh water.
The Datça peninsula is where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, and the water is noticeably clear. Tours anchor in Kargı, Ova and Domuz Çukuru bays; some continue to the ancient city of Knidos and its twin harbours. The area is uncrowded, framed by almond and olive groves. Because the wind picks up in the afternoon, tours depart early.
Muğla hosts Türkiye's richest day-tour coastline: Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, Göcek, Datça, Dalyan and Akyaka. The classic 12 Islands tour from Fethiye takes in Red Island, Yassıca Islands and Shipyard Island; Ölüdeniz tours cover Butterfly Valley and the Blue Cave; Marmaris tours include Paradise Island and the Phosphorus Cave. From Akyaka you sail to Sedir (Cleopatra) Island, and from Bodrum to the hot springs of Karaada. Tours typically run 10:00–18:00, lunch is usually included and there are 3-5 swim stops.
